Lubricating device



'March 10, I931. w. J. SEELE 1,795,634

LUBRICATING DEVICE Filed Sept. 10, 1927 mwwrw? M J 5545 Patented, Mar. 10, 1931 UNITED STATES NT OFFICE WILLIAM J. SEELE, OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI, ASSIGNGB. TO S. G. ADAMS STAMP AND STATIONERY COMPANY ,OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI, A CORPORATION OF MISSOURI LUBRICATING DEVICE Application filed September 10, 1927. Serial No. 2181659.

This invention relates to containers for liquids and is herein 1llustrated as embodied in a lubricating device of the type commonlyknown as an oiler.

Oiling devices ofthis character areemployed extensively in railway and ship service, and comprise generally a lubricant container having a handle securedthereto, and a long spout, bent at the end, arranged to project from theupper surface of the container. The use of oilers of this typein lubricating-locomotives and marine engines necessitates holding them in practically every conceivable position, and often the oiler is invertedfor the purpose of gaining access to some remote machine part. At such times. owingto large cross-sectional area of the spout, the oil has atendency to flow freely from the container, and, unless there is pro vided somemeans to guard against such 'a contingency, a considerable amount of oil will be wasted in moving the oiler into a position in which thespout engages properly the machine part, and in restoring the oiler from an inverted to an upright position. Owing to this likelihood of spillingand'losing the oil from the oiler, it is customary to provide such devices with a valve located within the spout for controlling the'flow of oil and with a valve controlling plunger or lever located adjacent .to the handle. of the oiler in a position such that it may be conveniently manipulated by the .thumbof one using the oiler before and after each oiling operation. i

Mechanisms of various kinds have heretofore been employed for connecting the con-. trolling lever with the valve and in practically all instances these mechanisms have comprised a series of rods and levers, of substantial length, arranged and supported by means of brackets within the body of the lubricant container. While: oilers containing such mechanisms are generally capable of operating successfully for awhile, it been found that they are subject to a number of disadvantages, namely, the difiCulty of assembling the rods and levers properly within the container; the liability of the rods and levers to become bentor broken through continued use of'the oiler thereby rendering the valve inoperative and the danger of the thumb lever becoming ammed by reason of thecomplex leverage system Within the container becoming warped or rusted, etc.

WVith the foregoing considerations in view the present invention has for an object thereof the provision of a simple and compact mechanism for controlling the valve, the mechanism being so constructed and arranged that it may be easily and expediently assembled within the oiler spout.

A feature of the invention which aims towards the accomplishment of the recited object consists in the provision in a valve controlled lubricating device of the character described of mechanism for operating the valve located entirely within the spout of the oiler. Such a provision obviates the numerous levers depending into the lubricant container, thereby providing a compact structureplittle apt to become damaged and rendered inoperative by blows imparted to th oiler. i

In theillustrative embodiment of the invention the oiler spout is provided with a seat against which is adapted to rest normally a valve havingv a depending stem portion, a plunger located adjacent to the handle of the oiler which may be operated to open and close the valve, and connecting the plunger with the valve stem is an operating mechanism of a simplified character comprising a bell crank lever having one of its arms secured to the valvestem and its other arm fastened to the plunger whereby movement imparted to the plunger results in movement of the valve towards or away from the valve seat. 'An im-.

.portant feature of the invention is to be recogit is to be recognized that the invention contemplates being incorporated in other and similar organizations in which there might-be beneficially employed valve controlling mechanisms of the type herein disclosed.

Other features and objects of the i vention will be apparent from. a reading of the following specification in the light of the accompanying drawings in which,

Fig. 1 is afront elevational view of an oiler embodying'the improved-valve structure, certain parts being broken away the more clearly to indicate the construction of the improved valve.

Fig. is a fragmentary view of av portion of the device of Fig. 1. showing the controlling mechanism iii the position occupied when the valve is open, and

Fig. 3 is a plan view in section, along the line 83 of Fig. 1 showing the location. of the valve controlling, mechanism within the spout of the oiler.

As shown in the drawings, the oiler comprises generally a hollow lubricant container 10 provided with a spout 12 having a curved end, and a handle 14-. The spout 12 is provided with a valve seat 16 upon which is adapted to be seated a valve 18 having a depending stein 20.

The oiler is, as illustrated, provided with mechanism for controlling the valve and, as hereinbefore pointed out, this mechanism is located entirely within the spout 12. of. the

oiler and is constructed in a. simplified andcompact manner to avoid the danger-:ofeasily becoming broken or otherwise being rendered inoperative.

crank lever 24 having one of its arms 26 secured to the bent extremity of the valve stem and its remaining arm fastened to the bent inner extremity of an operating plunger or lever 28. The supporting member 24 issecured within the spout12 in any convenient manner, asatisfactory method of securing being hereinafter described;

The device is provided with means for nor mally maintaining the valve 18 in a closed position and to this end the illustrative embodiment of the invention is provided with a compression spring 30'extending between a shoulder 32 formed on the valve stemand a shelf 3 1 formed on the supporting member 22. For the purpose of supplementing the action of the spring 30 and to assist in holding the bell crank lever 24: in its normal position during the assembling of the oiler there is provided a torsion spring 36 having its opposite ends abutting against the lever 24. and the casing or supporting member 22.

The plunger 28 is encased within a supporting sleeve 38, and to the end of preventing possible leakage of oil out of the container, through the sleeve, the plunger 28hasa valve head -10 formed thereon which co-operates A supporting member or wall 22 has pivotally secured thereto at 23 abellwith a valve seat 42 formed on the inner end of the sleeve 88. Further to prevent such possible loss of oil the sleeve 38 is arranged to slope downwardly towards spout 12 thereby preventing a leakage of oil outward through the sleeve while the can is occupying. an upright position.

As illustrated in Fig. 1 the stem 28 may be reduced to such an extent that its cross-sectional area-is less than the cross-sectional-area ofthe opening within the sleeve 38, whereby the interior of the oiler is provided with an air vent to assist in causing a proper flow of theoil fromthe spout. upon the valve being open. Inasmuch as oilers that are in general use today are providedwith a vent located in the filling plug in whichlocation they are apt to permit leakage of oil, it is to be appreciated that applicant by. providing means for. closing the vent when the can is not in use has introduced into the art a very beneficial feature.

To assist in the manipulation of the plunger or lever 28 a button 44 is formed on theouter extremity of the plunger. It is to be notedthat, as illustrated, the plunger extends substantially at right angles to the grip of the handle 14 thereby locating. the push button 44 in a position most convenient for manipulation by the thumb of the hand grasping the handle. Heretofore it has been asnot to interfere with the flow of oilthrough the spout 12.

In assembling the device, the valve may conveniently be encircled. by the spring 30 and inserted into a trough formed on the arm 26 of the lever 24. The valve controlling mechanism and thevalve may then be con.-

veniently inserted within the spout 12 and secured therein by means of a bead of metal 13 that results from soldering the spout 12 to the hollow container 10..

Having thus described my invention,.what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is

1. A lubricating device comprising, in combination, a container having a spout extending therefrom, a valve mechanism including a bell crank lever located within the spout to control passage of the lubricating fluid through the spout, a plunger having its inner and connected within the spout to said valve mechanism and its outer end located externally of the spout, and a sleeve for containing the plunger, the sleeve at its inner end being. formed into a valve seat to co-operate with a valve head formed on the plunger so as to prevent escape of the. lubricating fluid:

through the sleeve when the valve mechanism Within the spout occupies a closed position.

2. A lubricating device comprising, in combination, a hollow lubricant container, a

spout detachably connected to said container, a valve located within said spout and valve controlling mechanism adapted to be inserted as a unit Within said spout, and secured therein by means of the operation that secures the spout to the container, and manually operated means for operating said controlling mechanism.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing I hereunto aflix my signature.

' WM. J. SEELE. 

